Gray brick: features, types and scope

When constructing buildings, the most important part is the material on which the building is held. For many years, people have preferred brick material, which has many types. Gray brick deserves special attention. Such an element is widespread in the cladding of buildings, it is appreciated for its high strength and resistance to external factors.

Brick is a dense building material in the form of a bar, used in the decoration of houses, summer cottages, various kinds of baths. Such material has been known since the 15th century. It is in the combination of such qualities as: water resistance, thermal insulation and mechanical strength - the brick is in the lead in all respects.

The basis of any building brick is clay and cement. It is subdivided into single, one and a half with a flat, patterned or double surface. Ease of processing allows you to create a different relief shape. In appearance, gray bricks are divided into the following types:

• with a smooth surface;
• rough, chipped surface giving the effect of pure rock;
• deeply protruding birch bark surface.

In construction, facing brick differs into categories. Its composition is different.

• Silicate, produced mostly from quartz sand with the addition of lime and ash.
• Pressed, obtained by high pressure from a mixture of cement and small rocks.
• Ceramic, made according to the system of firing special clay and mineral additives.
• Clinker, which has special strength, is made by sintering refractory clay.

To make a gray silicate brick, a special coloring agent is added to its composition, then the entire mass is fired at 200 degrees and high atmospheric pressure. It perfectly isolates sound and reduces heat build-up, but does not tolerate moisture. It is most suitable for interior cladding.

Ceramic gray brick, depending on the components, can be of a different shade. What will be its tone is decided by the original material of the product. It all depends on the type of clay, admixture of salts and oxides. The combination of these components gives a solid shape to avoid rapid wear or mechanical damage. Such bars lend themselves to firing at a temperature of over a thousand degrees.

To paint facing ceramic bricks, two technologies are used. The first technology uses white burning or red clay. The latter will give the brick a darker color, and white clay will saturate the material with white, peach and yellow colors. To obtain a different shade, special coloring pigments are added when mixing the cement.

The method of making hyper-pressed bricks is simple. To produce such a gray brick, the crushed limestone is compressed with a hydraulic press to such an extent that the particles of the material become one whole. Then the crushed material is bound with a solution of cement and water.All this is additionally painted with the help of coloring compositions. Then the already formed bars are dried in a special chamber for up to 20 hours.

Gray clinker brick absorbs moisture very little and confidently withstands any weather conditions. It can be used for a very long time, maintaining its integrity. A special type of clay is sintered at a high temperature, therefore a dark color for clinker is the norm. Produced mainly in hollow form. Depending on the final firing temperature, its future color is formed.

Clinker gray brick is a versatile product. It can be used not only for interior and exterior decoration, but also for the creation of sidewalks, paths for vehicles, platforms.

Plump, stronger in structure. They are used in buildings where a very strong structure is required. They have a small drawback, it is high thermal conductivity, and if you build a house on such a material, you will need to additionally insulate the walls.

Hollow gray brick is a more budgetary option and is much lighter in weight. They keep warm better than corpulent ones. They are used in construction where a large load on the walls is not needed.

In order for the cladding to retain its natural color for a long time, you must always look closely at the technical documentation. The document must clearly state that the paint must be resistant to alkaline environments during manufacture. Otherwise, the facing brick will gradually begin to creep away and all of its color will be erased.

While remaining a heavy-duty component, gray brick has many other irreplaceable qualities, which are not always retained by other materials.

1. Heat loss during masonry is two times less.
2. Resistant to sudden temperature changes.
3. Natural, ecological raw materials.
4. Good sound insulation.
5. The front and foot part of the building is not subject to destruction by weather conditions.
6. Good fire resistance.
7. The ability to sample any color shade.
8. Sun protection.

Among the amazing advantages, weaknesses should also be taken into account, these include:

• heavy structure, giving a load on the foundation of the building;
• high cost of finishing;
• complex dismantling and replacement of the entire structure.

You will learn more about the types of bricks and their characteristics from the video below.